Second only to Las Vegas, Atlantic City is probably one of the most popular gambling resorts in the US. But how did it become such an important gambling destination?
Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned as a gambling and entertainment destination and is also inspiration for the board game Monopoly.
It officially became a city in 1854, containing parts of Egg Harbour Township and Galloway Township. In 1853 the town’s first hotel was built – The Belloe House, which was located at Massachusetts and Atlantic Avenue and a year later the city was incorporated. This was the same year as the Camden and Atlantic Railroad train service started; it was built on the edge of the bay and was the direct link with Philadelphia. Because of the railroad, by 1874 almost half a million passengers each year were coming to the city by rail.
In 1870 the first boardwalk was built along the beach so the hotel owners could keep sand out of their lobbies. This proved to be both effective and popular, so the boardwalk was expanded several times in the following years. In fact before a hurricane in 1944 the boardwalk was about 7 miles long, extending from the Atlantic to Longport. In 1870 the first from the mainland to the island was also built and construction on an additional railroad began in 1878. This expansion led to the large The United States and the Surf House being built, as well as smaller rooming houses being constructed across the town.
During the early 20th Century the island went through a rapid period of development as a lot of the smaller hotels were replaced which much larger sites, including Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel and the Traymore Hotel. But it was in 1883 that one of its major tourist attractions was invented “salt water taffy.
However, it was in the 1920s that the area began to boom with drinking and gambling taking place in back rooms of hotels “despite Prohibition. After World War II the city began to decline, so in a bid to reverse its decline, voters in New Jersey decided to legalise gambling in 1976. It did not halt its decline immediately but Mike Tyson holding his fights there did help a little. Sadly, a lot of planned mega casinos had to be scrapped thanks to the economic downturn.
These days, you don’t have to go to Atlantic City to enjoy yourself playing casino online as many casinos can also be found online. For the avid casino players in the UK, for instance, they can simply visit sites such as www.galacasino.co.uk and sign up to receive some amazing bonuses and offers that many other casinos have online.